Southern Koala & Echidna Rescue - Koala Food Trees
Southern Koala and Echidna Rescue Ltd (also known as Southern Koala Rescue) is a registered charity run by fully trained, professional carers and a team of passionate volunteers. We work closely with other rescuers, sanctuaries, CFS, specialist vets and government bodies in South Australia and nationally.
Mish Simpson, Director of SKR and her husband Wade recently purchased a 22 acre property in Southern Adelaide with the vision to transform part of the property into a state of the art, purpose built Koala and Echidna Rehabilitation Centre.
Demand for our services meant we urgently needed to bring forward the establishment of a Koala Rehabilitation Centre, to ensure there are appropriate rehabilitation facilities available in South Australia.
The construction of the centre has commenced and the first of the sustainable Koala food “Tree” plantations has been planted. The Centre will include a triage area and hospital facilities, indoor and outdoor hospital wards, outdoor gunyah’s for koalas in long term care plus enclosures for echidnas and other native wildlife that come into care.
Plans for the centre include ecological self-sufficiency, powered by solar panels/batteries and with water supplies through rain capture and bore water.
We are planning irrigation from the bore to tanks that will then feed the koala food tree plantations, these will be funded through grants.
The Centre will expand our existing rehabilitation facilities meaning we can offer specialised care, community education and rescue services.
Koalas are facing an uphill battle for survival, with habitat becoming increasingly fragmented from through residential development and bushfires making food sources harder to find. Unfortunately, this means that they often fall victim to incidents with cars and trucks.